Apparatus for automatic transverse vehicle guidance along a traffic lane

Abstract

Apparatus for automatic transverse vehicle guidance is provided for the automatic transverse guidance of a vehicle along a traffic lane. The apparatus can be activated in such a way using an activating actuation of an operating element that the actual transverse-position value present at the activation instant serves as a desired transverse-position value for subsequent automatic transverse guidance operation.

We claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for automatic transverse guidance of a vehicle along a traffic lane using information on an actual transverse position value of the vehicle output from a vehicle position detection device, the apparatus comprising: an operating element which is actuated at an activation instant to activate said apparatus;   wherein the actual transverse-position value of the vehicle with respect to the traffic lane present at an activation instant of the operating element serves as a desired transverse-position value for subsequent automatic transverse guidance operation.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is deactivated automatically when a steering intervention by a driver of the vehicle occurs which changes a transverse position, and wherein said apparatus is not automatically re-activated after said deactivation, or is automatically re-activated only when the transverse position of the vehicle exhibits a steady-state behavior for a specified waiting time. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said operating element is a multi-function operating element comprising a first set of opposing actuation directions for an activation and deactivation of said apparatus, and a second set of opposing directions for an actuation which continuously changes the desired transverse-position value to the right or left. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said multifunction operating element exercises the activation function upon being pulled and a deactivation function upon being pushed along a first line of actuation and, along a second line of actuation triggers a change in the desired transverse-position value to the right by actuation in one direction and a change in the desired transverse-position value to the left by actuation in the other direction. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising at least one indication element for indicating whether said apparatus is in at least one of a state of readiness and an activated state. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operating element is a multi-function operating element comprising a first set of opposing actuation directions for an activation and deactivation of said apparatus, and a second set of opposing directions for an actuation which continuously changes the desired transverse-position value to the right or left. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said multifunction operating element exercises the activation function upon being pulled and a deactivation function upon being pushed along a first line of actuation and, along a second line of actuation triggers a change in the desired transverse-position value to the right by actuation in one direction and a change in the desired transverse-position value to the left by actuation in the other direction. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising at least one indication element for indicating whether said apparatus is in at least one of a state of readiness and an activated state. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising at least one indication element for indicating whether said apparatus is in at least one of a state of readiness and an activated state. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one indication element for indicating whether said apparatus is in at least one of a state of readiness and an activated state. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic transverse guidance apparatus maintains the actual transverse-position value serving as the desired transverse-position value constant. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein activation of the automatic transverse guidance apparatus is independent of a vehicle speed control system. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actual transverse-position value of the vehicle serving as the desired transverse-position value can be anywhere within the traffic lane. 
     
     
       14. An automatic transverse guidance apparatus for transversely guiding a vehicle along a traffic lane, comprising: an operating element coupled to the automatic transverse guidance apparatus;   means for determining an actual transverse-position value present at an activation instant of said operating element;   means for obtaining a desired transverse-position value for subsequent automatic transverse guidance operations, wherein said actual transverse-position value of the vehicle with respect to the traffic lane present at the activation instant serves as the desired transverse-position value for subsequent automatic transverse guidance operations.   
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: means for deactivating the automatic transverse guidance apparatus automatically when a steering intervention by a driver which changes the actual transverse-position value occurs;   means for not automatically re-activating the automatic transverse guidance apparatus after the above deactivating step.   
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising only means for only automatically re-activating the automatic transverse guidance apparatus when the actual transverse-position of the vehicle exhibits a steady-state behavior for a predetermined waiting time. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the automatic transverse guidance apparatus maintains the actual transverse-position value serving as the desired transverse-position value constant. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein activation of the automatic transverse guidance apparatus is independent of a vehicle speed control system. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the actual transverse-position value of the vehicle serving as the desired transverse-position value can be anywhere within the traffic lane. 
     
     
       20. Method of operating an automatic transverse guidance apparatus of a vehicle which automatically transversely guides said vehicle along a traffic lane, the method comprising the steps of: activating the automatic transverse guidance apparatus via an activating actuation movement of an operating element;   determining an actual transverse-position value of the vehicle with respect to the traffic lane present at an activation instant;   performing subsequent automatic transverse guidance operation of the vehicle using the actual transverse-position value as the desired transverse-position value.   
     
     
       21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of: automatically deactivating the automatic transverse guidance apparatus when a steering intervention by a driver changes a transverse position of the vehicle; and   automatically re-activating the automatic transverse guidance apparatus only when the transverse position of the vehicle exhibits a steady-state behavior for a specified waiting time after said deactivating step.   
     
     
       22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of performing subsequent automatic transverse guidance operation of the vehicle maintains the actual transverse-position value serving as the desired transverse-position value constant. 
     
     
       23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the activating step is independent of a vehicle speed control system. 
     
     
       24. A computer product comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for automatic transverse guidance of a vehicle along a traffic lane, said program including code segments which determine an actual transverse-position value of the vehicle with respect to the traffic lane present at an activation instant of the automatic transverse guidance apparatus, and subsequently perform automatic transverse guidance operation using the actual transverse-position value as the desired transverse-position value. 
     
     
       25. The computer product according to claim 24, wherein said program code segments further automatically deactivate the automatic transverse guidance apparatus when a steering intervention by a driver changes a transverse position of the vehicle, and only automatically re-activate the automatic transverse guidance apparatus when the transverse position of the vehicle exhibits a steady-state behavior for a predetermined waiting time. 
     
     
       26. The computer product according to claim 24, further comprising a code segment which maintains the actual transverse-position value serving as the desired transverse-position value constant during the automatic transverse guidance operation.